


I tell you all the time; Heaven is a place on Earth with you.

by jellyfic



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged Up, Dancing, Domestic scenes, Fluff, Living Together, M/M, Roadtrip, adopting a plant, just a bunch of scenes where kuroken are ridiculously in love, lazy day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-10-23
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:33:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27163222
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jellyfic/pseuds/jellyfic
Summary: There is love in adopting a plant with your partner. There is love in a lazy day spent together. There is love in small actions made to please the other, just as much as there is in sacrifices made for their growth.There is love in everything that they say, in everything that they do.Kenma has yet to understand that there is more than one way to say ‘I love you.’
Relationships: Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou
Comments: 15
Kudos: 135





	I tell you all the time; Heaven is a place on Earth with you.

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fizzii](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fizzii/gifts).



> This fic is a gift for the wonderful [Fia ](https://twitter.com/kuroozume?s=21)! I hope you are having a wonderful birthday, and that this fic will make it a tiny bit better! I love you! <3
> 
> A huge thank you to [Lestey ](https://twitter.com/lesteywrites?s=21) for helping me with this fic! They have been incredible despite my exigences ahah. So thank you lots, you’re the best!

Kenma had never been good at expressing his feelings. Not that he never tried. He had found himself facing people a million times, wanting to say what was on his heart but unable to actually make a sound. For his friends, it wasn’t really a problem. They knew him; they knew how complicated it was for him to express his true feelings- how vulnerable he felt. So they learned to recognize the small indications he would give them about what he felt- about what he thought- and it had always been enough. 

With time though, he grew up. He tried a bit more, sometimes succeeding and sometimes failing, but at least he did his best. It was easier for him by the time he was in high school to express his thoughts- to show how much he cared- and he thought he was doing good until a new feeling started to grow in his chest, monstrous, frightening, and yet so warm. 

Kuroo had always been the first one to understand what Kenma felt, and he took pride in that. But that feeling that settled itself in Kenma’s heart without his consent? Kenma did everything in his power to hide it from his best friend, because he couldn’t take the risk of ruining their friendship; he couldn’t take the risk of losing the only person that knew him so well. 

To his surprise, it worked. As much as he was an open book to Kuroo, he succeeded in keeping that monster that he learned to love and accept hidden. He held it inside his heart for exactly three years, crying at night but smiling in the day- happy outside but hurt inside. He was fine as long as he had Kuroo at his side and as long as Kuroo was happy he was fine. 

Until Kuroo confessed one day, when Kenma moved in with Kuroo for college. Free from the fear of ruining everything, free from the unbearable tension that it was to hide such a powerful love, he had been openly honest about his own feelings that night. Kuroo deserved it- Kuroo deserved the best- and Kenma was ready to do anything to give it to him. 

And so, he spoke. He said it with his voice, with his eyes, and with his touch. He said it with his lungs and with his heart and with his soul. He said it with his will and with his fear and with his pride.

He said, “I love you too.”

That night, he freed the monster-turned-friend. He cried on Kuroo’s shoulders and screamed at him for keeping it secret for so many years; for hurting them both with longing and fear. He mumbled at himself for being a coward; for keeping his heart closed so many times. And he swore that he would never do that again- not with Kuroo. He couldn’t keep his feelings from Kuroo.

The thing was, that was easier said than done. It wasn’t something that he could change with the snap of his fingers. It wasn’t like he had kept everything inside for years just because he wanted to. As much as he had grown up- as much as he had changed- talking openly about how much he loved Kuroo was difficult. Being vulnerable, even with someone he had known for years, even with someone as important as Kuroo, was something he had trouble with. 

And so, his insecurities surfaced again. What if he would never be able to tell Kuroo how much he means to him? What if his love for Kuroo isn’t enough? What if Kuroo thinks Kenma doesn’t love him enough- or even at all? He knew how important it was for Kuroo to feel expressly loved. He knew that his best friend- his _boyfriend_ \- needed to know how much Kenma loved him. Even if, deep down in his heart, he already knew it, having the confirmation was always nice. Kuroo would tell him everyday how much he loved him, but if Kenma wasn’t able to say it back- even though he felt it in his heart- would Kuroo leave him? 

__________

  
  


“Kuro, come on.” Kenma grunted, plunging his hands into his pockets. There was no real annoyance in his tone though, so Kuroo just looked up at him from where he was kneeling, frowning. 

“Kenma, this is really important. It’s not something we can rush into.” 

Kenma only rolled his eyes, turning on his heel to walk around the flower shop for the third time now. 

They had been wandering around for almost an hour now looking at plants and flowers, desperately searching for their first child- or rather victim. Kenma wasn't sure they would be kind enough with a plant for it to have a long life, but he couldn’t say no to Kuroo. 

“This one?” Kuroo asked, showing a small pot proudly to the blonde. 

But before Kenma could answer him, the owner interrupted him, scratching the back of his neck. “This one needs water at least two to three times a week. I’m not sure it’s the one you’ve been searching for.” 

Kuroo blinks at the man for a few seconds before nodding vigorously. 

“You’re right. We would obviously forget. You’re very honest sir, I appreciate it.” 

The man didn’t have time to answer because Kuroo was already focusing back on the plants, looking for the one his heart would choose next. 

Kenma couldn’t help the smile on his face as he looked at Kuroo. He hadn’t really cared for the idea of having a plant in their apartment at first, but Kuroo insisted, saying that they spent too much time in their house for it to lack any plant life. So he agreed. He hadn’t thought Kuroo would take choosing that plant so seriously though. 

He was caressing the petals of a beautiful flower he didn’t know about when Kuroo exclaimed, gasping, “This one looks like Bo!” 

Kenma looked up, immediately spotting the pot Kuroo was proudly showing to him, where a spiky two toned plant was settled. Kuroo couldn’t help the obnoxious laughter coming from his chest as he took his phone out and took a picture of it to send it to his friend. Kenma smirked- it did look like Bokuto. 

“I like this one. Can we get it?” Kenma asked, crossing the shop to join Kuroo’s side. 

Kuroo arched a brow. “You want to have a Bo flower in our living room?” 

“Why not? It’s fun!” 

Kuroo smiled, wrapping an arm around Kenma’s shoulder, turning to the owner who was smiling at them, visibly pleased. The poor man had probably gotten tired of waiting for them to choose. 

“We’re taking this one!” 

In contrast to what he thought, neither he nor Kuroo forgot about the plant. Hell, they were both a bit put up about the fact that it had to be watered only every other week. They had put it on their TV stand, and more often than not Kenma’s gaze would flick to it, thinking that it was actually nice to have some green in the house. Plus, he liked how much care and love Kuroo was giving to the plant. Each time he would water it or change its place to put it in the sun, Kuroo would talk to it. He had read online once that talking to plants made them feel better and allowed them to be healthy, and since then it had become Kuroo’s duty. It made both of them happy, so Kenma had nothing to complain about. 

Pretty soon, Kenma started to search for more. The flower shop was on his way to his school, so every night after classes he would pass for a few minutes and look at them, thinking about what he would like to buy, and every Friday he would come home with a new plant in his hands. 

Kenma struggled to open the door, pushing the handle with his elbow, bag slipping from his shoulder. He groaned, shoving his way into the house holding a pot almost as large as him. 

“Kuro, come help,” he mumbled, out of breath. 

His boyfriend appeared from the kitchen, brows furrowed. He sighed, walking to Kenma to take the plant from his hands, which he had absolutely no problem with. Kenma glared at him. He had had so much trouble carrying the gift all the way here and Kuroo was carrying it with one arm as if it was nothing. 

Kuroo bent down quickly to kiss his hair and turned on his heel to go to the living room and set the pot down. “Kitten, our house will turn into a jungle if we continue like this.” Despite his words, Kuroo made sure the plant wasn’t directly under the sunshine, gently caressing the leaves that Kenma had accidentally scrunched on his way home. 

Kuroo could say anything he wanted, but Kenma knew how pleased he was to have so many plants in their house. And Kenma liked them too, sometimes they would just water them in silence together, content to be with one another completing a single task. Plus, when Kenma felt a bit sad, he would just lay on the floor, surrounded by plants and flowers for a while. It helped a lot. 

Kuroo stood up, hugging him from behind. “Thank you, they’re wonderful.” Kenma hummed in response, tilting his head backward so Kuroo could put a small kiss on his lips which he did, before smiling fondly and announcing, “Dinner’s ready!” 

_________

  
  


Kenma sighed contentedly, dropping down the pile of pillows he was struggling to carry. He rushed back to the bedroom in small jumps, unable to contain the smile on his lips. Tip toeing his way in the room, he took one of the blankets off the bed, careful not to wake up his boyfriend, and went back to the living room. 

He couldn’t help the excitement in his veins as he finally opened the video game’s box, looking inside with starry eyes. He had been waiting for this game forever. Kuroo had pre-ordered it for him months ago, but refused to give it to him before his birthday. He finally got to see it yesterday, but it was too late for him to start playing, so Kuroo forced him to bed, saying he would play it tomorrow. Today was tomorrow. It was five in the morning, and Kenma was going to play the game all day long. 

He put the game in his console and flopped down on the mountain of pillows in front of the couch, wrapping the blanket around him, and tightening his grip on the controller in his hands. Making sure the sound wasn’t too high, Kenma refrained himself from squeaking as he felt pure joy run through his body. He had all day long to play without having to worry about anything; Kuroo himself said so. 

And so he played, eyes squinting in the dark as the sun wasn’t even out yet, comfortably cuddled between the warm blanket and pillows. It felt like he had hardly played for an hour when he heard footsteps, but one look at the sun creeping through the curtains proved him wrong. 

Kuroo yawned, stopping at the living room’s doorway and Kenma turned around for a split second to look at him. He was scratching his belly with one hand and scrubbing his eyes with the other, still not fully awoken. Kenma couldn’t help the smile on his face, but it quickly transformed into a wince when Kuroo spoke. 

“What are you already doing awake, Kitten? It’s 8AM.” 

Kenma wiggled his toes, keeping his eyes on the game. “I’m playing. You said I could play today,” he added, defensively. 

Kuroo sighed, walking to him. He bent down to kiss the top of Kenma’s head, yawning again after straightening up. 

“How long have you been playing?” 

Kenma paused, considering lying, but he knew Kuroo wouldn’t believe him if he did. 

“Since five.” 

He could see Kuroo’s reflection on the tv as he shook his head with a small smile. 

“I’m gonna make coffee. Do you want anything?” 

“Won’t say no to a hot cocoa.” 

Kuroo hummed, walking to the kitchen. 

“On it.” 

He came back a few minutes later, two mugs in hand. Kuroo settled behind him on the couch, putting his drink on the ground at his side without failing to leave another kiss on Kenma’s hair. The aroma of hot drinks reached Kenma and he sighed, leaning back against Kuroo’s legs, still focused on the game. Kuroo was scrolling through his phone, slowly surfacing from his sleepy state. 

With the sun slightly illuminating and warming the room, the smell of coffee and chocolate wafting around them, and the presence of Kuroo behind him, Kenma felt good. Content. Comfortable. It wasn’t everyday that they could have a lazy Sunday, and he was happy to just rest a bit while playing a game. 

They stayed like that for an hour, silence only broken by the sound of Kenma’s game or the videos Kuroo would look at from time to time. Their drinks ran empty, and Kuroo stretched himself, yawning one last time. He got up, planting a quick kiss to Kenma’s cheek. 

“I’m going to clean a bit.” 

Kenma nodded, asking, “Do you need help?” 

Kenma saw Kuroo arching a brow in the reflection of TV, and he couldn’t help the smirk spreading on his lips. He had asked it out of courtesy, but Kuroo knew just as well as Kenma that he would prefer to stay here and play. Of course, if Kuroo did need him, he would help. Begrudgingly stomping and mumbling, but still, he would help. 

Kuroo kicked him lightly and Kenma swayed to the side, laughing. 

“Nah, I’m good. Just kick this game’s ass.” 

Kenma snorted but added nothing, focusing fully back on his task. He heard Kuroo putting some music on and singing to the song while washing the dishes from last night and couldn’t help but hum at the chorus too. He actually liked having Kuroo making sounds in the background; it wrapped him in a feeling of gratefulness to have all the things he could wish for at his side. He liked how comfortable and used to each other they had become around the house. 

When Kuroo was done with the dishes, he quickly came back to the living room and Kenma raised his head slowly for Kuroo to put a kiss on his forehead. Which he knew Kuroo would do. It was quick and soft, and then Kuroo went to the bathroom where he started putting clothes in the washing machine before hanging the already clean ones up to dry. 

He was still singing, and Kenma could easily imagine him moving his hips amusingly to the rhythm. He couldn’t help the chuckle escaping his mouth as he shook his head. He focused back on the game, very happy with it. The anticipation he had been feeling for the game truly was worth it; it had been ages since he had so much fun playing a game by himself, and he was really grateful for Kuroo to have gifted it to him. 

Kuroo walked back to the kitchen, passing by the living room to plant another kiss on top of Kenma’s head. There wasn’t any music anymore, but Kuroo was still humming, proof of his own contentment. Kenma could clearly see he was enjoying himself. Kuroo had always been weird like that. He liked doing chores when Kenma was around, humming and dancing around the house. Kenma never understood, but he never complained. He liked seeing Kuroo like that. 

Two hours later, the smell of a meal filled the house, and Kuroo came back to the living room, hands on his hips. 

“Kenma, I won’t say it a third time. Time to eat!” Kuroo reprimanded, a spoon in hands. 

Kenma sighed deeply, but eventually paused the game, saving it quickly. He got up, getting out of the blanket and stretching under Kuroo’s severe gaze, which truly didn’t impress him at all, since he knew his boyfriend wasn’t mad in the slightest. Kuroo proved this not even seconds later, as he deposited a kiss on Kenma’s nose. 

“What’s with you and all the kisses today?” he asked, wrinkling his nose as he made his way to the kitchen. Not that he minded the show of affection, he just noticed that Kuroo seemed to be giving him more than usual today. 

Kuroo smiled, taking a seat at the table. 

“I’m just rewarding myself each time I complete a task.” 

Kenma couldn’t help the small blush creeping onto his cheeks but he brushed it off with a snort. 

“You sap,” he accused.

“Only for you.” Kuroo winked, laughing loudly. 

And as much as Kenma was teasing him for it, he liked it. He liked the little extra attention Kuroo would give him, reminding him how much he was loved; how important he was; how much Kuroo thought about him. 

And Kenma loved him just as much, even though it was a bit hard for him to say it. 

He got at least six more kisses in the afternoon. One when he got up from the table to go back to play. Another one when Kuroo was done washing the dishes. He got one more when Kuroo settled down behind him to work on an essay that was due in a week. Kuroo kissed the top of his head again when he got up to hang up the clothes from the washing he did this morning, and another when he came back to flop down on the couch with a book, running his hands into his hair while reading. And, when the sun started to set, he gently wrapped his arms around Kenma’s body, kissing his shoulder. 

“It’s time to stop.” He murmured slightly, resting his chin on Kenma’s shoulder. 

Kenma hummed, leaning into the touch. His eyes were slowly growing pained anyway, so he finished his quest, waiting to be on a save point to turn the video game off. He stretched slightly, and Kuroo took his face, turning it to the side to give him a small kiss on the lips. 

Kenma smiled. “And what was that one for?” 

Kuroo chuckled. “This one was just because I wanted to.” 

Beneath the light of the sunset, in the warmth his whole body had been wrapped with all day, and under Kuroo’s gaze full of love, Kenma couldn’t help but feel complete. He felt his heart swelling with love and he smiled, looking into Kuroo’s eyes. 

He suddenly got up, jumping on Kuroo’s body and falling onto the couch. He took Kuroo’s head between his hands and proceeded to put tons of small kisses on his cheeks, eyes, nose and forehead, feeling his heart expand in joy. Kuroo laughed under him, arms wrapped around his waist, reduced to a blushing mess of laughter and stuttered words. God, it was ridiculous how much Kenma loved him. 

_________

  
  


“Kenma?” 

A soft voice reached his ears, breath tickling his skin. Kenma kept his eyes closed, not moving. He was in the middle of what seemed to be a good dream, even if he didn’t actually remember it, he didn’t want to be woken up now. But the voice seemed to insist. 

“Kenma? Are you sleeping?” Kuroo asked again, a few centimeters away from him. 

Kenma turned his head to bury it into his pillow and groaned, showing Kuroo that he was very much asleep, but Kuroo seemed to interpret it the way he wanted to rather than how it was intended. 

“Great. I can’t either.” 

Kenma turned around, face still half hidden by the pillow, glaring at his boyfriend from one eye. It was still dark, Kuroo only being visible thanks to the small light they kept on in the corner of their room. He was looking at the ceiling though, even though their bodies were entangled in the same position they slept in. 

“What time is it?” Kenma groaned, turning his whole body to face Kuroo, scooting closer. 

Kuroo slowly straightened up on his elbows for a few seconds, flopping back with a sigh. 

“It’s 2AM.” 

Kenma growled, nuzzling his nose in Kuroo’s neck. “Go back to sleep.” 

Kuroo hummed, stroking his hair softly, visibly lost in thought. Kenma’s eyes closed by themselves as he slowly let himself follow sleep’s steps for the second time that night, but just as he was about to dip into unconsciousness, Kuroo spoke again. 

“Do you think I should have continued volleyball?” 

Kenma sighed deeply, giving up on sleep. He shifted slowly so he could look up at Kuroo, who’s gaze was still locked on the ceiling. 

“Would you have liked that?” he asked in a whisper, not wanting to break the mood. 

It took him a few minutes to answer, but eventually, Kuroo admitted, “I don’t know. I mean, I guess? But I can’t see myself just playing volleyball.” 

Kenma looked down to his chest, playing with the hem of Kuroo’s shirt. “What do you like about volleyball?” 

This time, it took him less than a few seconds to answer. “I like everything about it. I love the sore feeling at the end of a game, the tickling that lingers after a spike, the scream of your muscles begging you to stop when your mind orders you to keep going.” His hand continued to mess gently with Kenma’s hair and the blond couldn’t help but lean into the touch. “I like the pride we feel when everyone does their best. I love seeing my teammates succeed at something they’ve been trying to do for weeks. I love helping my team, and encouraging them. I love the atmosphere, the bond we create with our teammates through the sport.”

“But you love teaching,” Kenma said after a silence. 

Kuroo sighed, “I love teaching. It’s the feeling that you helped someone become a better version of themself; that they reached their goals and worked for it. I’m really happy to know that I can help them in any way.” There was another pause and Kenma tightened his hold on Kuroo. “But I don’t want to give up on volleyball.” 

“Why would you have to?”

Kuroo looked down at him, smiling sadly. “I’m already involved in these classes Kenma. I’ve told everyone I was going to be a chemistry teacher already.” 

Kenma frowned. “And what about it? What’s holding you? You can still teach and play volleyball casually. Hell, you can still still teach while playing volleyball in general! You would be a good coach!” 

Kuroo didn’t even hesitate to answer, voice desperate and expression pained. “And what if I’m not? What if I change everything, but in the end I don’t like it? I don’t want to find myself alone and lost.” 

“You won’t be alone. I’ll be here,” Kenma said firmly, refusing to break eye contact. 

Kuroo’s eyes widened slightly, and a whisper escaped his mouth. 

“Oh.”

Kenma’s brows knitted together and he got up on one elbow to look into Kuroo’s eyes better. Confused and a bit alerted, Kenma asked, “What ‘oh’? What do you mean ‘oh’?” 

Kuroo was the first one to break eye contact, and Kenma felt his blood run cold. He sat up. 

“It’s nothing Kenma, it’s stupid don’t worry.” Kuroo winced, still avoiding him. 

Kenma’s voice was a bit more afraid and trembling than he expected when he spoke, eyes wide. 

“Kuro, you know I’ll always stay by your side, right?” The way Kuroo closed his eyes painfully was enough of an answer. And Kenma could _not_ accept that. 

This was his greatest fear; Kuroo not knowing how much love he had for him. Usually Kuroo knew about it, he had always been the one teasing each time Kenma would do something nice, each time Kenma would show him how much he loved him. Kenma knew Kuroo was feeling dejected right now, he knew Kuroo felt miserable, and that was probably why he was doubting Kenma’s love. Still, Kenma could not accept it. 

He took Kuroo's head between his two hands, forcing him to look him in the eye. He could easily see the doubt and the pain in his boyfriend’s eyes and Kenma’s heart broke a bit. 

“Kuro, I love you. You can doubt anything in life. Doubt your choices, your future and your present. Doubt what you want to eat or what you want to do as a job. It’s fine. It’s okay. We can get over that together. It makes you who you are. And I know you’re such an incredible person that you’ll do fine.” Kenma took a deep breath, and felt Kuroo’s tears on his hands. He didn’t back down though. “But there’s one thing you don’t have the right to doubt. And it’s my love for you. I freaking know I'm not good at showing it. I know I'm not good at saying it. But my feelings for you will never fade. So don’t even think that you’ll drive me away. Unless you don’t want me by your side, I’ll stick with you.” 

Kenma didn’t even notice he had been crying until a tear fell on Kuroo’s cheeks. Kuroo cupped his face, and pulled him down slowly in a gentle kiss. It was wet- full of tears and fears- but also relieved. And Kenma’s heart shattered at the idea that he had been right, Kuroo thought he would leave him one day. 

“Promise?” Kuroo asked, putting his forehead against Kenma’s, voice trembling. 

“Promise.” 

_________

  
  


If there was one thing Kenma hated, it was getting sick. Usually, he would avoid anything that could make him sick. That included running in the rain, going out to play in the snow, or putting forth much of any kind of physical effort. Unfortunately —or rather fortunately if anyone would ask him— that included cleaning the house. Kenma was allergic to dust, and it was actually a real problem. It was the main reason he couldn’t help Kuroo with chores. He would help with the small ones, like the dishes or the clothes, but usually he would leave the rest for Kuroo, and Kuroo never complained. 

But as much as Kenma hated being sick, he found himself with his hair tied back, and a mask and gloves on, cleaning his whole house on a Saturday. The thing was, Kuroo had been coming back home really late and tired these days. He was on edge, and it was slowly starting to annoy Kenma too. But Kenma couldn’t blame him, he had been overbooked- unable to do any task in the house that was slowly becoming a terrible mess- so Kenma decided to take care of it for once, considering Kuroo would be at a meeting all day. 

In all honesty, he should have braced himself better for this. He shouldn’t have taken cleaning so lightly. He had barely started and he was already hot. Sweat stuck to his skin, and he was short of breath with his heart pounding quickly in his chest. Did he lack stamina that badly? What part of cleaning could make his heart beat so quickly and his breathing so heavy? 

He went through it anyway, opening the windows despite the cold outside. He did the dishes that had been piling up for the whole week, breaking a glass in the process. He did several loads of laundry, so much that he didn’t have anywhere else to lay open the clothes of his last load. He watered the plants and pushed them all into the sun, knowing they hadn’t had a chance to breathe or photosynthesize for a long time, and, by the time he had started vacuuming, his eyes were puffy and red, and he couldn’t help but scrub them. He ended up getting rid of his mask, and he closed the windows because of the cold. 

By the time he was in front of the stove, trying to prepare a meal, he was crying, frustrated, and sick. He didn’t dare turn the stove on, knowing that he would burn himself in the state he was in, and he didn’t want that at all. Not right now. He was angrily swiping his years away when he received a text. Kuroo told him he was on his way back home, and that he was bringing take out with him. 

It was stupid really. Kenma felt terrible, useless, as he let himself fall on the ground. He was twenty, how on earth was he incapable of completing simple tasks like cleaning the house? Kuroo always did so much for him- spoiling him, helping him, loving him- and here he was, unable to even clean their house to make sure his boyfriend could come home and relax more easily than he had been able to all week. 

Of course, everything was clean now, but he still didn’t get to cook dinner, and Kuroo would open the door to a crying, angry, and sick Kenma. He would probably think Kenma was useless and dramatic for being so tired after doing nothing but chores. He would probably think it was normal that Kenma helped; that it was nothing special and that Kenma should have done this way earlier. 

Just as Kenma had predicted, when Kuroo entered the house he found the blonde curled up on the kitchen’s floor, crying. He immediately ran to his side, checking for any injuries before pulling him into a hug. 

“Kenma, what happened? Kitten? Why are you crying?” His voice was full of worry as he rubbed his hand in circles on Kenma’s back. 

It took Kenma a few minutes to calm down before he pulled out of the embrace, slowly, sniffing. He rubbed his eyes and Kuroo took his hands away to prevent him from accidentally hurting himself more. 

“I cleaned the house...” Kenma mumbled, looking sideways. 

“You what?” Kuroo was dumbstruck- confused- as he frowned. 

“Cleaned the house.” 

“Well, that’s good baby. But why are you crying?” Kuroo insisted, and Kenma pouted, looking up to glare at him. 

“I cleaned the house.” the blonde repeated for the third time. 

Kuroo’s face relaxed as a small smile made his way onto his lips. 

“You got sick?”

Kenma rolled his eyes, crossing his arms. “That’s all the information you’re taking from that statement?”

This time Kuroo laughed, the contagious and hideous sound echoing on the walls. Kenma bit his lip, but Kuroo kissed him slowly to erase his pout. Kuroo brushed his fingers over Kenma’s cheeks with a fond gaze. 

“Thank you kitten. I really appreciate it, and I see all the effort you put into this. Thank you for doing this for me.” He planted a kiss on his forehead and Kenma shrugged. “Let’s eat, and then go to bed. I’ll take care of you.” 

Kenma nodded, standing up. They decided to eat in the living room, sitting on the ground in front of the TV. Kenma had his back laid against a Kuroo chest, legs tangled together. They had been eating in silence for a while when Kuroo spoke. 

“I don’t love you any less because you don’t do the harder chores, Kenma.” He paused, making sure Kenma was in the mood to talk about it. When Kenma said nothing, he continued. 

“I know how difficult it is for you, and I know it makes you sick. I love cleaning the house, and you’re already helping me the best you can. Don’t overwork yourself.” 

Kuroo kisses his ear, posing his chin on his shoulder. “But I really appreciate you doing this for me. It helps a lot.” 

Kenma snuggled closer as a response, tilting his head backward so Kuroo could give him a forehead kiss.

________

  
  


“We should spice up our relationship,” Kuroo said out of the blue, looking up from his phone. Kenma was so disturbed by his suggestion that he had to pause his game and turn around to look at him. 

“What?” 

“We should spice up our relationship,” Kuroo repeated, shrugging. 

Confused, Kenma asked, unsure, “You’re not satisfied with it?” 

When Kuroo registered Kenma’s words his eyes grew wide and he quickly left his phone on the side of the couch, waving his hands around. “No! No! I didn’t mean it like that Kenma! God, no!” He paused, making sure Kenma understood. When the blonde nodded, he continued. 

“I meant that we don’t play volleyball anymore, and it would be pretty difficult because the team isn’t here, but I’d love to find another way to spend time with you!” 

Kenma’s brows knitted together as he grew more and more confused. “Like what?” 

It took Kuroo a few seconds to answer, beaming when he suddenly had an idea. 

“We could dance!” 

Kenma snorted, turning back and restarting his game. “Yeah, dancing.”

“Come on, kitten.” 

The blonde could hear the pout on Kuroo’s voice but ignored it, focusing on his game. It wasn’t the first time his boyfriend had come up with new, stupid ideas like that one out of nowhere, and he would deal with this one like he had all the others; by ignoring it. 

“It’ll be fun! We’ll learn how to waltz, how to salsa, how to-”

“Do you really see me dancing a salsa?” Kenma deadpanned, cutting him off. 

Kuroo winced. “Well, no. Maybe not salsa, but what about Rumba! You’re really flexible and actually have a good sense of coordination; I’m sure you’d be a great dancer.” 

“I don’t want to be a great dancer, Kuro.” 

“Pretty please. For my birthday?” 

Kenma scrunched up his nose, reacting with a bit more transparency than intended. Kuroo settled his chin on his hand and waited, but Kenma had already said no, and he wasn’t going to budge. 

“Absolutely not.” 

That was how Kenma found himself following Kuroo into a small dance room, on the evening of Kuroo’s birthday, squeezing his hand with a bit more force than necessary. How far would he go to make Kuroo happy? 

A small woman greeted them as they entered, her smile warm and comforting. They quickly introduced themselves. 

“I think, since neither of you have ever formally danced, we’re going to dance a Rumba tonight.” She said, posing both hands on her hips, swaying on her feet.

Kuroo sent him a knowing look and Kenma couldn’t help but roll his eyes. Kuroo’s hand in his own eased him a bit as he nodded to the teacher, waiting for instructions. As they both blinked at her stupidly, she waved her hands around at them, eyes wide. 

“Go on! Go on! Position yourselves, gentlemen!” 

Kenma snorted and Kuroo gave him a reprimanding look. They both faced each other, fidgeting idly with their arms, not knowing what to do with them. Kuroo settled for placing his hands lightly on Kenma’s hips and Kenma rested his own on Kuroo’s shoulders. 

They didn’t even have time to process anything before the woman was chuckling slightly, shaking her head. “You’re not slow dancing at your cousin’s wedding, you’re _dancing._ ” 

As she explained to them how to move, she walked around them to position them correctly. She joined their hands together, putting Kuroo’s other hand further on Kenma’s back, and this was the moment Kenma understood what it meant to truly dance. 

It’d been ages now since he had felt any kind of embarrassment around to his boyfriend. Kuroo had known him since he was little, they didn’t have any secrets, and they both had long ago forgotten what being shy around the other was like, and yet, here Kenma was, feeling his cheeks heating. He had never actually danced with Kuroo, not even a slow dance at a cousin’s wedding, so this seemed different. This was filled with a tension and a proximity that Kenma wasn’t used to, and a single glance atKuroo’s flushed cheeks told him he wasn’t the only one feeling it. 

The teacher was kind enough not to bring it up, stepping back when she was satisfied with their positioning. She clapped her hands happily and turned around to put the music on. Then, she looked at them and spoke. 

“Now, dance!” 

“What?” Kenma asked, brows furrowed. “We don’t know the steps.” 

She put her hands in her pockets, smiling brightly at him. “Dance is not only about the steps, it’s about having fun. It’s about experiencing. It’s about moving and expressing what’s hidden in your heart! So just go for it, we’ll work with the steps later!” 

Kenma was about to reply with some witty remark, but Kuroo didn’t need any more instruction to begin dancing. He quickly brought Kenma’s hands up and made him turn on himself, bringing him closer. Surprised, Kenma looked at him, eyes wide, and Kuroo wiggled his brows in answer. Kenma couldn’t help but laugh as Kuroo started moving goofily, swinging him around pushing him away and then pulling him close, never letting go of his hand. 

They stepped on each other’s feet at least five times, and they tripped even more, but they kept on laughing and moving, clearly running out of breath but continuing to push on until the end of the song. Kuroo was a total embarrassing idiot, taking this task so seriously and yet so dramatically that he had been overcome with laughter throughout the whole song.

When it ended, they found themselves face to face, looking directly into each others’ eyes, breath heavy, hearts pounding, and smiling like they never had before. The teacher clapped happily, bouncing on her feet, and Kenma finally remembered that she was there, taking a few steps away from Kuroo but still leaving their fingers intertwined. 

“Well!” she started, approaching them. “What you both have hidden in your hearts is obviously no secret to one another.” Her smile turned fond as she nodded. “That was heartwarming to see, thank you.” 

Kenma blushed, tucking a strand of hair that had escaped his bun behind his ear. Kuroo thanked her, bringing Kenma closer and kissing him in the crown of his head. Kenma could feel his heart beating fast in his chest, full, content. 

“Okay, now! Let’s try those steps, shall we?” 

They danced for two hours, listening carefully to their teacher. They tried and they failed, they winced and they groaned, but mainly they laughed and they smiled. They encouraged each other; they learned to trust each other in another type of way. It felt wonderful. They were tired when they went back home with smiles on their faces. 

“So? How was it?” Kuroo asked, jostling him gently. 

Kenma smiled, shaking his head, and sighed. “It wasn’t _that_ bad. But I couldn’t do it weekly.” 

Kuroo laughed, taking his hand. “Yeah, me too. It was fun though.” 

“Yeah,” Kenma finally admitted, entangling their fingers. “It was.” 

_________

  
  


“Kenma! Come here!”

Laughter echoed in the apartment, punctuated with loud footsteps, creating a warm and cheerful atmosphere. Kenma jumped on the couch, running on said furniture only to stop on the other side of it, facing Kuroo. He had a smirk on his lips and Kuroo was mirroring his expression, a glint of malice in his eyes. He was holding an awful pullover as if he was ready to get someone dressed. Which, admittedly, he was, as he had been trying to put the piece of clothing on Kenma for a good five minutes now. 

The moment Kuroo ran around the couch, Kenma jumped on it again, running to the other side of the kitchen, where he kept running, Kuroo behind him and chasing him. He threw the chairs behind him, trying to hold Kuroo down while laughing uncontrollably. He didn’t stop to check if his plan had worked as he ran through the corridors. 

As he was about to enter the bathroom and lock himself inside, something was wrapped around his head, and strong arms pulled him against a solid chest. Kenma struggled, wriggling, kicking, and punching, trying to get away from Kuroo’s hold in vain. Both of their laughter were mixing and Kenma gave up, stopping his movements so Kuroo could finally put the pullover on him. 

“Got you!” Kuroo shouted in victory, as he squeezed Kenma harder, stopping him from removing the clothing. Kenma refused to put his arms in the sleeves and wrinkled his nose. 

“I am not wearing this,” he complained, crossing his arms. 

Kuroo chuckles next to his ear. “Your mother knitted these for us, so you’re going to wear it whether you want to or not. Plus, look, we match!” 

Kenma rolled his eyes, trying to get away from Kuroo’s hold, but the latter held on. “The sweatshirts are hideous.” 

Kuroo gasped loudly, making Kenma wince. “They are wonderful. Stop being a bitch and wear it correctly. And hurry up, we have to call your mother in five minutes.” 

Kenma turned his head to glare at Kuroo, but he only grinned back at him, letting his arms relax a bit so Kenma could put his arms into the sleeves, which he finally did, after having run around the house for several minutes straight. Not without pouting though, and Kenma crossed his arms, murdering his boyfriend with his glare. 

He wasn’t actually mad at Kuroo though. Kuroo was happy, and he was too. It was their first Christmas- just them both without their family- so he couldn’t actually be mad about anything. Hence he found himself sitting on the couch next to Kuroo, on a video call with his parents. 

“Kenma, you look tired,” his mother said the moment the call started, squinting at the screen. 

“Hi mom. I’m good and you? How are you?” Kenma said sarcastically and Kuroo elbowed him. 

Kuroo waved at the screen and both his parents answered, a bright smile on each of their faces. “Hello Kozume-san!” 

“Kuroo, you seem like you’ve grown a lot! Are you still working out?” Kenma’s dad asked, readjusting his glasses but still squinting at the screen too. 

Kuroo laughed, it was easy, candid, warm. “Yeah, I have been. Thank you for noticing! Someone has to take care of Kenma right?”

“I don’t need someone to take care of me,” Kenma grumbled, tugging on the sweater. 

Kenma’s mother smiled brightly, beaming at them with twinkling eyes. “You’re wearing them!” 

Kuroo chuckled, standing up to show his pullover better and grinning. “Of course we are!” 

Kenma rolled his eyes, but couldn’t help the small smile on his lips as both his parents laughed, visibly happy to see them. It had been a while since he went to visit his parents, but he and Kuroo decided that they wanted to spend Christmas alone together for once, happy with just staying home. 

They still asked to make a video call, because family was important to Kenma, and even for Kuroo, to whom the Kozumes were like family since he was little. It felt good. It was fun. They stayed on called for an hour, teasing and talking and planning their next visit back home. 

When they hung up, they cuddled together, drinking and watching tv while playing board games. Laughing and kissing, eating and hugging. It was simple. It was soft and warm. It was them. It was one of the best Christmases Kenma had ever had. 

_________

  
  


“You’re not satisfied, are you?” Kuroo asked, hugging Kenma from behind and peaking over his head to look at the sketches he was playing with. 

Kenma shook his head, biting on his lip. He erased a part of the pants, redesigning it once again. “It’s not that I don’t like it,” he explained, coloring it in gold. “It’s just that the one I want to see in it won’t agree to pose for a photoshoot.” 

“Well, I would!” 

Kenma rolled his eyes, scanning through the colors on his tablet, and opting for a light blue. He did like the design he was coming up with for his company. Plus, he knew Asahi would be able to help him out with perfecting it. The thing was, when he wanted something, he couldn’t get the idea out of his mind without acting on it. And while designing that specific outfit he had originally thought about Akaashi modeling in it. 

The thing was, he already had models, and they were perfect for that job. Shouyou was small and energetic, and his ball of red hair fit perfectly with the aesthetics of some of Kenma’s models. The Haibas were professional models, so Kenma knew they would be nothing but perfect for this job- as much as it annoyed him to recognize that Lev was good at anything- but he wanted Akaashi on their shoot, and he wasn’t ready to give up on that. 

He had already tried to convince the editor more than once, probably borderlining on harassment. He had called Akaashi every morning for a week now, pestering him to take his offer, doubling the price, but he knew Akaashi didn’t care much about Kenma’s money, and wouldn’t model for anything even if his life depended on it. Even though Kenma knew it was a lost cause, he wasn’t deterred from trying. 

“What about Bokuto?” Kuroo offered, tilting his head. “Your logo would look good on that pocket,” he added. 

“Do you even have eyes? What in Akaashi can I find in Bokuto?” He still took Kuroo’s other advice and added his logo on the pocket, actually agreeing with this one idea. 

“I’m just trying to help. I’m sure Bo would agree, and he’s not bad looking at all.” 

Kenma snorted, “Bokuto is hot, yes.” Kuroo was about to fake being offended but Kenma cut him off. “But I’m not searching for a buff person for this specific look.” 

“Ah,” Kuroo said, nodding. “Hence why I’m not a choice.” 

The blonde rolled his eyes again but couldn’t help the smile on his lips as he shook his head. He looked down at the fruits of his labor, satisfied. Kuroo was, too. 

“It’s really good. And I’m not saying this just because you’re my boyfriend.” He planted a peck on his hair, smiling. 

“You don’t have to add that each time you compliment me on something I do.” 

“I know, but I want to make sure that you understand how honest I am when I compliment you.” 

Kenma knew. Kuroo had always been his number one fan, was always excited about his ideas, and was always pushing him further toward success. He had grown a lot alongside him, and now he had a well known name in the youtube scene. His company was still small and starting, but he had faith in it, and Kuroo was here to remind him that he wasn’t the only one. 

“I’ll talk to Akaashi for you,” Kuroo declared, determined. 

Kenma let out a full laugh, turning around as Kuroo straightened up to face him. He raised a brow, clearly mocking him. “Akaashi hates you.” 

“No, he doesn’t.”

“He does.”

“Doesn’t. He may not show it, but out of all our friends, I’m his favorite.” The grin on Kuroo’s face showed that he was certain of himself, but, even though Kenma new Akaashi didn’t really hate Kuroo, he doubted his boyfriend would ever be able to change Akaashi’s mind when he himself had been trying for days. 

“Yeah, sure.” 

Fortunately, Kenma hadn’t bet on that, or he would have found himself on the losing side. He opened the door one night to a very grumpy and disgusted Akaashi, cheeks dusted with pink. He let his friend come inside, very confused. 

Kuroo had been away all day, and had texted him an hour earlier saying he was staying at Bo’s for the night. Kenma had thought he would spend a lazy and calm day playing video games then. He forgot to offer Akaashi a cup of tea while the boy kept avoiding his gaze. 

Kenma sat down next to him, feeling on edge. It wasn’t everyday that Akaashi seemed so troubled, and he didn’t know what to do. Still, he waited patiently for the man to talk. Akaashi took a deep breath, closing his eyes and sighing, face distorted with disgust again. 

“I’m in.” 

Kenma blinked, only growing more confused. “Wh-”

“I’ll model for your company,” he added as if it pained him, wincing dramatically. 

Kenma’s eyes grew wide, but he couldn’t say or do anything as surprise fell over him. Of all the reasons Akaashi could have to come to his house at night, him agreeing to model wasn’t what he had expected. 

“Your… Boyfriend,” Akaashi started, grimacing again, “can be very persuasive.” He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “And he owes me big time, now.” 

Kenma’s lips parted this time and he was finally able to speak. “Kuro made you change your mind?” 

“God, it sounds even more awful voiced like that,” Akaashi complained, scrunching his nose, but keeping his head raised. 

“How?” 

“That is classified information,” Akaashi said firmly, pushing the question away. Kenma didn’t push it, even though his curiosity had been piqued. “So? Explain how it works before I change my mind.” 

Kenma smiled brightly, explaining all the important points to Akaashi and silently blessing Kuroo. He would thank him better later. 

_________

  
  


The video started, showing a title written in white on a black background: **Roadtrip with the dumbass.** The text faded into a grumpy face in front of the camera, struggling to close a suitcase holding much more than its intended storage capacity. 

“Kuro, what are you doing?” Kenma grumbled, looking beyond the camera. 

A voice came from somewhere off screen, full of excitement with a lilt.

“I’m filming you.” 

Kenma rolled his eyes. “Yes. I’m not blind, it’s my camera, thank you. But why?” 

“You said you were going to vlog the trip.” 

Kenma sighed dramatically as he finally got to close his luggage, sitting on it to squint at Kuroo, who was holding the camera. 

“Yes. I said _I_ was vlogging it.” 

“Come on! Your subscribers don’t care about me. They want to see the world famous Kodzuken out of his room!” 

“Absolutely not,” Kenma said, approaching the camera, brows furrowed. He extended his hand past the device, hiding part of its length. A muffled voice almost screamed, struggling, before the shot changed. 

“Absolutely, yes.” 

  
  


The new shot was of Kenma driving, wind blowing through his hair and pout evident on his lips. He’s focused on the road, hands gripping the wheel tightly. 

“You could at least pretend you’re enjoying yourself.” Kuroo’s voice came out of the speakers, reprimanding. “You could act like all those girls with their hair in the wind, smiling at the landscape.”

“I can’t. I’m driving. And you talked me into this.” He turned his head quickly to glare at the camera, putting his eyes back on the road after. 

Kuroo sighed dramatically. “It’s because I can’t film you if I’m driving. Now stop being difficult and smile.” 

Kenma gave the camera the fakest smile he could, and Kuroo’s obnoxious laugh echoed off camera. 

  
  


The screen turned to black, and Kuroo’s struggling voice came out of the speaker, complaining.

“Kitten, can you… please help me?” The noise of a hand messing with the camera near the microphone could be heard at the same time, muffling the man’s voice. “I don’t know how to put it in night mode.” 

Kenma snorted, and his voice, which seemed far away, echoed too. “Can't believe you want to film but you don’t have basic skills for it.” 

“ *Beep*, you’re mean!” 

“I’ll call this video ‘Roadtrip with the Dumbass’.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” 

“Watch me.” 

“Oh! Found it!” Kuroo screamed happily, his face appearing for a split second before he turned the camera to Kenma who was standing with his back to the camera. 

Kenma was looking at the stars shining over them, surrounded in all directions by far off mountains. The camera didn’t move for a bit, just capturing Kenma in the beautiful landscape, before Kenma finally turned away. He had a small smile on his lips, and even in the camera you could see how his eyes were shining. 

“It’s beautiful.” 

  
  


The next shot was a close up of Kenma, scrunching his nose, looking down on something. The camera tilted down to show him holding a children’s toothbrush in the shape of a frog, with a suction cup at the end of the handle. 

“I’m not buying this,” Kenma said, disgusted. 

Kuroo laughed, and the camera zoomed out to show Kenma again. 

“You have to! You forgot your toothbrush and that’s the only option they’ve got here. What do you even have in your luggage that was so big if you don’t even have your basic necessities?” 

Kenma glared at the camera, and then turned around to go to the cashier. “I brought only what was strictly necessary.” 

“Which is?” Kuroo prompted, following Kenma. 

“My video set up, a dozen batteries, my psp, my switch, my gameboy-”

Kuroo’s laugh interrupted him, and the shot faded to show Kenma brushing his teeth, glaring at himself through the mirror, green toothbrush in hand. Kuroo’s hideous laugh could still be heard, and the camera was moving a lot. Kenma’s glare moved to him through the mirror, and the screen faded to black again. 

  
  


Kenma was kneeling on the ground, wind blowing through his hair as he was feeding little cats. He had a fond smile on his face and was petting the cats. One of the balls of fur jumped onto his shoulder, and a small chuckle escaped his mouth. 

“Kuro, look!” he said, content evident in his tone, eyes sparkling from joy. 

“I’m looking!” Kuroo answered behind the camera. He added, lower, only for the viewers, “This is the same man that slaughters villains mercilessly in your games my friends.” 

  
  


“Can you put down the camera for two seconds?” Kenma mumbled, blushing on screen. “This is serious.” 

“That’s why I’m filming, I want to capture every single moment of this trip. Plus, it’s almost over so let me be emotional.” Kuroo complained behind the camera. 

Kenma sighed, shaking his head. “You asked for this. Don’t drop my camera or I’ll kill you.” 

The blonde looked up to the camera, smiling softly. He then looked behind it, locking his gaze with Kuroo’s. 

“Why would I let it-” 

Kuroo’s words got stuck in his throat as Kenma bent down slowly, cheeks such a light shade of pink it was hard to notice. Instinctively, the camera tilted down to follow Kenma’s movement. 

“*Beep*,” Kuroo’s voice was trembling as he said Kenma’s name, and the camera was slightly shaking, the shot a bit wobbly. 

Kenma put a knee on the floor, taking something out of his pocket, and holding it between his hands in Kuroo’s direction. 

“I’ve never been one to be romantic. I’ve never been good at expressing my feelings. I’ve never been good at knowing what I truly want.” Kenma sighed shakily, while Kuroo took a sharp breath in. “But it’s never been a problem for you.” The camera almost fell, and only Kenma’s feet were visible on screen. “If there’s something— Kuro, stop nodding, I’m not even done yet. If there’s something I know for sure, it’s that I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Kuro, will you marry me?” 

  
  


Kenma smiled at his screen, playing with the ring on his finger, feeling content. This trip had been the best one of his life, and having a video of it warmed his heart. 

“Kenma,” Kuroo whined at his side, pouting at the screen. “You erased half of the shots I took.” 

The blonde turned to Kuroo, who was sitting at his side, scrunching up his nose. “Half of the shots were shots of me looking disgustingly fondly at the screen. I’m not showing them that.” 

“You’re no fun.” 

“You still said yes.” 

“And I will keep on saying yes to you every single day.” 

“Sap.” 

“You’re the one who proposed.” 

“I changed my mind.” 

“No receipt. You can’t return me.” 

Kenma chuckled lightly, leaning into Kuroo’s side. Kuroo kissed the top of his head, humming. 

“Ready to post?” 

“Yeah.” 

________

  
  


“This is so cliché,” Kenma said, rolling his eyes. He took Kuroo’s hand anyway, facing the apple pie in front of him. A single candle was posed on it, flame dancing slightly in the dark.

“On three,” Kuroo said, smiling at him. 

“One. Two. Three!” 

They both bent down and blew out the candle together. The light turned on as cheers and applause echoed in the room. They both looked up to their friends smiling at them and cheering happily. Kenma couldn’t help the warmth in his chest, happy to see all his friends and his family gathered together to celebrate he and Kuroo’s one year anniversary. 

One look to his husband at his side was enough to know that Kuroo felt overwhelmed with love too, eyes watering a bit. He squeezed his hand and Kuroo looked back at him, sending him the brightest smile Kenma had ever seen. His heart swelled with pride and love, and he almost teared up too. 

It took Kenma a while to understand, but eventually he got it. Love wasn’t something that you showed only with words, love wasn’t something you had to show to someone at all. It was something you had to _share_ with each other. 

He had been too worried about not being able to convey his love to Kuroo when all he had to do was to share his love with him as much as Kuroo was sharing his. It was in the small things. It was in the way they would do everything with the other. It was in the way they would show small affections. It was in the way they would care for each other. It was a constant balance of give and accept; give what you can and accept what’s offered to you. 

Kuroo didn’t love him because Kenma loved him back. Kuroo had been loving him even before that and kept on doing so after all these years. And even when Kenma didn’t know Kuroo was in love with him back in high school, Kenma didn’t love him any less. 

Kenma had been foolish to think that his relationship with Kuroo depended on how much they showed their love to each other. It was deeper than that, higher than that. They were bound to be together, a love so deeply rooted in their soul that being together was enough to know: they were in love with each other, and would be for as long as they lived. 

**Author's Note:**

> My [twitter](https://twitter.com/_no0emiie?s=21).


End file.
